Research Question: What does a special education teacher do and what challenges do they face? Contributed by: Chelsea Schubart
Hard Lesson: 'Mainstreaming'Trend Tests Classroom Goals; DisabledChildren Join Peers, Strain Teachers; 'We Need More Help'
Summary:
Many teachers have trouble with mainstreaming disabled children. Aids are not available to assist in the regular classrooms at all times and special needs children hamper the learning of general education students. In one case, Andrea suffers from the genetic disease Williams Syndrome. It causes medical issues such as heart and eating problems, as well as learning disorders. In the classroom, Andrea is disruptive of others, knocking things off the teacher's desk, making noises in student's ears, and making scenes. The general education teacher that teaches the class was not trained to deal with students with learning disabilities, especially ones as severe as this. She is also rarely provided with an additional specialist to help her with Andrea because of the shortage of special education teachers available. As a result of these issues, many teachers are quitting their jobs, unable to handle the inclusion of special education students (who sometimes make up the majority of their classrooms). The laws mandated by legislature such as IDEA and No Child Left Behind cannot be complied with because of a lack of funding, resources, and qualified professionals. Special education teachers do assist in classrooms and pull students out for additional help but there aren't enough of them to make the program effective for all students. They must assist students both in different classrooms and different buildings, so not enough attention can be focused on students with learning disabilities.
Reaction:
An insufficient amount of special education teachers is a major problem that surrounds the practice of mainstreaming students with learning disabilities. The plan can only be effective if students with disabilities and those without can be assisted in appropriate manners and provided with the special attention they require to learn optimally. Without extra supervision in classrooms, mainstreaming can only hinder the learning of both categories of students. Students with behavioral problems also should have special arrangements made for them so they don't disrupt learning in the general education classroom. General education teachers are not qualified to teach special needs students and should not be made responsible to do so without proper support from someone who is.
John Hechinger (2007, June 25). Hard Lesson: 'Mainstreaming' Trend Tests Classroom Goals; Disabled Children Join Peers, Strain Teachers; 'We Need More Help'. Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition), p. A.1. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1294104081).
Summary:
Individual Education Programs are just one requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. IEPs are based on individual students' academic, social, and behavioral needs. By law, the IEP must include current levels of performance, measurable goals and benchmarks, special education services, participation with non-disabled students, and how progress will be measured and relayed to parents, among other things. Those involved in creating the IEP are students, parents, teachers, and other staff. Unfortunately, fulfilling the requirements of the laws becomes top priority and focus strays from creating programs that would be most beneficial to the students.
IEPs should include goals for the student to achieve that they cannot achieve in a regular program. Annual goals are determined (4 - 10) and approximately four short-term objectives should be determined for each annual goal. Factors to consider in implementing an IEP are student skill level, teacher skill level, and resources.
Problems can occur if the IEP process is not understood. Teachers may feel uncertain about their ability to handle special needs students and may fail to work collaboratively with special education teachers. Parents may doubt their children are receiving the attention they require in regular classrooms. Special education teachers are primarily responsible for developing the IEP. In order to avoid disagreements or confusion regarding IEPs, in accordance with IDEA, several people should be in attendance at IEP meetings, including parents, special education teachers, regular education teachers, an educational agency representative, and sometimes the student. The advantage of having all of these people present is providing multiple viewpoints. The student's strengths and weaknesses in various settings can be determined, and professionals can provide support and offer various approaches to implementing a successful program.
Reaction:
Individualized Education Programs are strictly laid out by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It requires the presence of many people at meetings to determining IEPs with good reason. IEPs lay out the goals for a student with disabilities. These goals must be realistic in order to prevent discouragement for both students and educators, but they must also challenge the students. Having many professionals promotes an atmosphere where they can brainstorm to determine optimal approaches to achieve success. Having parents present includes them in their child's education and also helps because they can offer valuable information about their strengths and weaknesses in particular situations. In addition, it is important to set minor goals as well as major, annual goals. Step-by-step processes help to recognize progress but also help to motivate when success is achieved. It puts success in sight, making tasks seem less difficult to achieve.
"Collaboration Between General and Special Education Teachers"
Summary:
General and special education teachers should work together to benefit the students they teach. One important aspect of working together is "joint planning" so that both teachers can support each other. The main responsibility of the special education teacher is to instruct by adapting material to work with a student's strengths, learning styles, and special needs. The biggest issue with planning is time. Planning should be continuous so that teachers can monitor progress, make adjustments, evaluate students, create strategies to confront problems in learning or behavior. Collaboration should be included in programs that prepare people for teaching. Positive outcomes of collaboration include more attention from teachers, higher teacher to student ratios, and increased opportunities for individual help. In addition, research has shown that students with disabilities developed better self images, became more motivated and less critical, and were able to recognize their own strengths, both academically and socially. They developed positive relationships with peers and showed improved social skills. All students in collaborative teaching showed a greater acceptance of differences in people, a stronger sense of self, a new appreciation of their own skills and accomplishments, and valued themselves and others more as unique individuals. Lower achieving students also improved academically and socially. Teachers and staff reported professional growth and motivation in teaching as well.
Reaction:
Colleagues successfully working together in any work environment is always necessary. In schools, it benefits students, the institution itself, and the teachers. It helps the students get the most out of their education, thereby boosting accountability for the schools, and creates a less stressful work environment in which teachers can expand on their teaching skills. "Joint planning" is a good way for special education teachers to be involved in what is being taught in the regular education class so they can better teach special needs students. Having another person helping to make lesson plans also provides different perspectives and brings different skills to create an optimal learning experience. With an extra teacher in the classroom, individual students can receive personal assistance in trouble areas without effecting or taking the teacher away from the rest of the class.
Summary:
In 1975, the Education of the Handicapped Act (currently known as the Individuals with Disabilities Act) was enacted, requiring that children with learning disabilities be taught with general education classes, rather than putting them in separate segregated classrooms. Those schools participating in the "pull-out" program take handicapped children from the general education classrooms only for part of the day to give them special attention in certain areas. The idea of full inclusion however, is to place students with disabilities in settings with those who are not disabled in order to help them adjust to socializing in normal, everyday situations with their peers. This setting is ideal for social and communication skills development and also helps the disabled to act more independently. Pulling handicapped students out of the regular classroom promotes dependence and lowers self-esteem, indicating to these students that they are different.
Implementing full inclusion means to have special education teachers in the general education classroom to help students of all learning abilities, to work collaboratively with the other teacher in the room. The two teachers together create lesson plans, instruct the class, and test the students. Students can be taught all together by one of the teachers while the other aids any student (particularly those with special needs) that needs help or they can split the students up and both teach the smaller groups, creating a more personalized setting. This way, all students benefit from having multiple teachers in the room, the special education teacher is involved in and aware of what is being taught in the classroom, and students with learning disabilities are made to feel more included. Parent and administrator involvement is also promoted.
Inclusion also may help students who do not have learning disabilities. Special needs students can show others in the classroom that they can do extremely well in some areas, even though they struggle in others. This can also teach patience and perseverance. Full inclusion teaches general education children to accept others the way they are, rather than teaching them to exclude them because of their differences.
Reaction:
Full inclusion is a good way to promote socialization with peers for students with disabilities. It gets them involved in the normal classroom setting, rather than deeming them as outcasts. Placing them in this setting can most definitely boost confidence and self-esteem, thereby improving their work and school success. In addition, their peers can help them to learn concepts in a classroom, sometimes even better than teachers can. They can be involved in group projects that are beneficial to this type of learning as well. Placing learning disabled children in a separate classroom with others may slow down their learning, while being in a general education class can increase motivation and learning acquisition. Being in a normal classroom provides challenges for those with special needs. This may serve as a source of stress and frustration, however the special education teacher being in the classroom will serve to alleviate much of this an help them to grasp concepts that they struggle with initially.
Often times, in "pull-out" programs, the special education teachers are unaware of what is being taught in the general education classrooms that the disabled are in for the rest of the day. This creates confusion and wastes time when they reteach unnecessary concepts or jump ahead to something that has not yet been covered. Having the special education teacher being a part of the general instruction will make their efforts more effective. In addition, as there are special needs students and students who excel, there are students who are in the middle of both of these areas. Having an extra teacher in the classroom can therefore benefit all of the students, and not just those with disabilities. Spreading the aid to those students that don't require special education will also help to reassure those who do, so that they realize they are not the only ones struggling in certain areas and are not being singled out as being less capable.
Haas, Diane. "Mainstreaming Benefits All Students." Current Controversies: The Disabled. Ed. Brenda Stalcup. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Providence Public Library. 21 Nov. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T010 &prodId=OVRC &docId=EJ3010042215 &source=gale &srcprod=OVRC &userGroupName=ripl1 &version=1.0>.
"The Importance of Teacher Preparation"
Summary:
The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) was founded in 1975 and strives for the education and well-being of those with learning disabilites. They believe that general education teachers should be able to both identify and teach those with disabilities because many are placed in regular classrooms. Special education teachers should receive training in how to differentiate between different learning disabilities and how to test and instruct them.
All teachers should have general knowledge in reading, writing, math, communication, social studies, the sciences, health and physical education, fine arts, and vocational subject areas. Students with learning disabilities struggle with reading, spelling, writing, or mathematical calculations or reasoning. General and special education teachers, as well as other professionals in the field should be aware of the influence of oral and written language on literacy and have extensive knowledge in those areas. Reading, spelling, word analysis, and the writing process are areas that all teachers should be confident in teaching. Teaching math should progress from concrete, to representational, to abstract thinking and reasoning. All teachers should be able to implement individualized instruction and know when to make adjustments.
General and special education teachers must be able to work together to help promote student success, especially with the inclusion of the learning disabled in general education classrooms. The different types of teachers have different roles and bring different skills into play. General educattion teachers have a broad range of knowledge in content areas while special educators provide approaches to a variety of teaching techniques and knowledge specific to the learning disabled. Working together successfully requires equal partnership, willingness to work together, good communication skills, cooperation, adequate planning time, and support from administrators.
All those who become educators (both general and special educators) should have core competencies regarding those with special needs in areas dealing with definitions and characeteristics of learning disabilities, rights and procedures of students and parents, student evaluation, instruction and Individualized Education Programs, social and emotional development, classroom management, and relationships with colleagues and families. The two different types of teachers work differently within these aspects. Special education teachers are more specially geared to implement strategies to help disabled students and should have a more in-depth understanding of their skills and abilities and how to assist them. They identify different learning disabilities and take many factors into consideration when assessing them.
Reaction:
It is incredibly important for special educators and general educators to work together when dealing with students with special needs. It is also crucial for general education teachers to be knowledgeable in areas concerning them because they will most definitely have to confront issues dealing with learning disabled children when working in the classroom. Special educators serve to provide more specialized assistance to general education teachers but they should be able to work with special needs students when special education teachers are not around. I also agree that it is particularly important for teachers to be able to communicate well with families. Individualized Education Programs are also particularly important subject areas for teachers because it is the basis on which special education works. It provides specific goals to be achieved in a certain amount of time, pushing students towards success. The National Joint Committee on Learning Disorders holds teachers to high standards, which is important in order to promote student achievement and quality education for all students.
National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. "The Importance of Teacher Preparation." Contemporary Issues Companion: Learning Disabilities. Ed. Henny H. Kim. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Providence Public Library. 21 Nov. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T010 &prodId=OVRC &docId=EJ3010267211 &source=gale &srcprod=OVRC &userGroupName=ripl1 &version=1.0>.
"Sisyphean Tasks: The Reams of Paperwork that Currently Serve as Special Education's Accountability System Distract from the Practice of Teaching and Learning. It is Time to Focus on Results"
Summary:
The law requires that schools document their attempts to provide special needs students with education, which is very costly, but does not guarantee that they are actually improving their skills. Schools need to shift from being rights-based and process-based to results-based. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that an Individualized Education Program (IEP) of each student explains the details of how schools will meet goals that provide learning disabled students with their rights to a "free and appropriate education" (FAPE) in the "least restrictive environment." Specialists, teachers, and student's parents all work together to create IEP's. The mass amounts of paperwork and records that are kept are the result of ensuring that the school is following procedure in the event that a parent moves for a court hearing to contest how the school proposes to work with their child (a right granted to parents and guardians by IDEA).
IDEA '97 required that learning disabled students be included in standardized testing and accountability programs, but there are many factors that effect the assessment of true achievement. Special needs students can "opt out" of testing and also may be given special accommodations by officials, making the tests unreliable evidence of achievement. A concrete demonstration of how schools are benefiting their special education students should replace such mandates as disabled students spending 80% of the day in regular classrooms and having hearing checked often. These would still be implemented, however only as necessary for particular students. A results-based accountability system would include: 1) an IEP that sets goals for skills to be gained and in how long, and the tests and accommodations that would be made, 2) tests and accommodations would be implemented in the same way over the years, 3) progress would be judged using baseline tests that would be taken just after the diagnosis of a disability, 4) teachers, counselors, and administrators would include comments in the report, 5) decline of progress would lead to state or federal intervention in the program, 6) if progress does not improve, parents would have the right to remove their children from the program and put them in an alternative, more beneficial one.
Reaction:
The mass amounts of paperwork that must be done regarding disabled students certainly takes time that could be put to better use in educating those with learning disabilities. Paperwork is necessary however, since special education is a sensitive subject. Because some institutions fail to provide special needs students with adequate educations, they must be weeded out from those who truly strive for such accomplishments. Paperwork helps to keep all institutions on track and make sure they are complying with the laws. On the other hand, education of all people should be results-based. Paperwork should be made more simple in order to allow for more time to be spent better educating students with disabilities.
Wolf, Patrick J. "Sisyphean tasks: the reams of paperwork that currently serve as special education's accountability' system distract from the practice of teaching and learning. It is time to focus on results. (Forum).(focus on special education in the Baltimore, Maryland public school system)." Education Next.3. 1 (Wntr 2003): 24(8). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Providence Public Library. 21 Nov. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do? &contentSet=IAC-Documents &type=retrieve &tabID=T002 &prodId=OVRC &docId=A94893898 &source=gale &srcprod=OVRC &userGroupName=ripl1 &version=1.0>.
Contributed by: Chelsea Schubart
Hard Lesson: ' Mainstreaming' Trend Tests Classroom Goals; Disabled Children Join Peers, Strain Teachers; 'We Need More Help'
Summary:Many teachers have trouble with mainstreaming disabled children. Aids are not available to assist in the regular classrooms at all times and special needs children hamper the learning of general education students. In one case, Andrea suffers from the genetic disease Williams Syndrome. It causes medical issues such as heart and eating problems, as well as learning disorders. In the classroom, Andrea is disruptive of others, knocking things off the teacher's desk, making noises in student's ears, and making scenes. The general education teacher that teaches the class was not trained to deal with students with learning disabilities, especially ones as severe as this. She is also rarely provided with an additional specialist to help her with Andrea because of the shortage of special education teachers available. As a result of these issues, many teachers are quitting their jobs, unable to handle the inclusion of special education students (who sometimes make up the majority of their classrooms). The laws mandated by legislature such as IDEA and No Child Left Behind cannot be complied with because of a lack of funding, resources, and qualified professionals. Special education teachers do assist in classrooms and pull students out for additional help but there aren't enough of them to make the program effective for all students. They must assist students both in different classrooms and different buildings, so not enough attention can be focused on students with learning disabilities.
Reaction:
An insufficient amount of special education teachers is a major problem that surrounds the practice of mainstreaming students with learning disabilities. The plan can only be effective if students with disabilities and those without can be assisted in appropriate manners and provided with the special attention they require to learn optimally. Without extra supervision in classrooms, mainstreaming can only hinder the learning of both categories of students. Students with behavioral problems also should have special arrangements made for them so they don't disrupt learning in the general education classroom. General education teachers are not qualified to teach special needs students and should not be made responsible to do so without proper support from someone who is.
John Hechinger (2007, June 25). Hard Lesson: 'Mainstreaming' Trend Tests Classroom Goals; Disabled Children Join Peers, Strain Teachers; 'We Need More Help'. Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition), p. A.1. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1294104081).
"Creating Useful Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)"
Summary:
Individual Education Programs are just one requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. IEPs are based on individual students' academic, social, and behavioral needs. By law, the IEP must include current levels of performance, measurable goals and benchmarks, special education services, participation with non-disabled students, and how progress will be measured and relayed to parents, among other things. Those involved in creating the IEP are students, parents, teachers, and other staff. Unfortunately, fulfilling the requirements of the laws becomes top priority and focus strays from creating programs that would be most beneficial to the students.
IEPs should include goals for the student to achieve that they cannot achieve in a regular program. Annual goals are determined (4 - 10) and approximately four short-term objectives should be determined for each annual goal. Factors to consider in implementing an IEP are student skill level, teacher skill level, and resources.
Problems can occur if the IEP process is not understood. Teachers may feel uncertain about their ability to handle special needs students and may fail to work collaboratively with special education teachers. Parents may doubt their children are receiving the attention they require in regular classrooms. Special education teachers are primarily responsible for developing the IEP. In order to avoid disagreements or confusion regarding IEPs, in accordance with IDEA, several people should be in attendance at IEP meetings, including parents, special education teachers, regular education teachers, an educational agency representative, and sometimes the student. The advantage of having all of these people present is providing multiple viewpoints. The student's strengths and weaknesses in various settings can be determined, and professionals can provide support and offer various approaches to implementing a successful program.
Reaction:
Individualized Education Programs are strictly laid out by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It requires the presence of many people at meetings to determining IEPs with good reason. IEPs lay out the goals for a student with disabilities. These goals must be realistic in order to prevent discouragement for both students and educators, but they must also challenge the students. Having many professionals promotes an atmosphere where they can brainstorm to determine optimal approaches to achieve success. Having parents present includes them in their child's education and also helps because they can offer valuable information about their strengths and weaknesses in particular situations. In addition, it is important to set minor goals as well as major, annual goals. Step-by-step processes help to recognize progress but also help to motivate when success is achieved. It puts success in sight, making tasks seem less difficult to achieve.
Smith, S. W. (2000). Creating Useful Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.helin.uri.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.20.
"Collaboration Between General and Special Education Teachers"
Summary:
General and special education teachers should work together to benefit the students they teach. One important aspect of working together is "joint planning" so that both teachers can support each other. The main responsibility of the special education teacher is to instruct by adapting material to work with a student's strengths, learning styles, and special needs. The biggest issue with planning is time. Planning should be continuous so that teachers can monitor progress, make adjustments, evaluate students, create strategies to confront problems in learning or behavior. Collaboration should be included in programs that prepare people for teaching. Positive outcomes of collaboration include more attention from teachers, higher teacher to student ratios, and increased opportunities for individual help. In addition, research has shown that students with disabilities developed better self images, became more motivated and less critical, and were able to recognize their own strengths, both academically and socially. They developed positive relationships with peers and showed improved social skills. All students in collaborative teaching showed a greater acceptance of differences in people, a stronger sense of self, a new appreciation of their own skills and accomplishments, and valued themselves and others more as unique individuals. Lower achieving students also improved academically and socially. Teachers and staff reported professional growth and motivation in teaching as well.
Reaction:
Colleagues successfully working together in any work environment is always necessary. In schools, it benefits students, the institution itself, and the teachers. It helps the students get the most out of their education, thereby boosting accountability for the schools, and creates a less stressful work environment in which teachers can expand on their teaching skills. "Joint planning" is a good way for special education teachers to be involved in what is being taught in the regular education class so they can better teach special needs students. Having another person helping to make lesson plans also provides different perspectives and brings different skills to create an optimal learning experience. With an extra teacher in the classroom, individual students can receive personal assistance in trouble areas without effecting or taking the teacher away from the rest of the class.
Ripley, S. (1997). Collaboration between General and Special Education Teachers. ERIC Digest. Retrieved November 24, 2008, from http://0-vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.helin.uri.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.20#record_30.
"Mainstreaming Benefits All Students"
Summary:
In 1975, the Education of the Handicapped Act (currently known as the Individuals with Disabilities Act) was enacted, requiring that children with learning disabilities be taught with general education classes, rather than putting them in separate segregated classrooms. Those schools participating in the "pull-out" program take handicapped children from the general education classrooms only for part of the day to give them special attention in certain areas. The idea of full inclusion however, is to place students with disabilities in settings with those who are not disabled in order to help them adjust to socializing in normal, everyday situations with their peers. This setting is ideal for social and communication skills development and also helps the disabled to act more independently. Pulling handicapped students out of the regular classroom promotes dependence and lowers self-esteem, indicating to these students that they are different.
Implementing full inclusion means to have special education teachers in the general education classroom to help students of all learning abilities, to work collaboratively with the other teacher in the room. The two teachers together create lesson plans, instruct the class, and test the students. Students can be taught all together by one of the teachers while the other aids any student (particularly those with special needs) that needs help or they can split the students up and both teach the smaller groups, creating a more personalized setting. This way, all students benefit from having multiple teachers in the room, the special education teacher is involved in and aware of what is being taught in the classroom, and students with learning disabilities are made to feel more included. Parent and administrator involvement is also promoted.
Inclusion also may help students who do not have learning disabilities. Special needs students can show others in the classroom that they can do extremely well in some areas, even though they struggle in others. This can also teach patience and perseverance. Full inclusion teaches general education children to accept others the way they are, rather than teaching them to exclude them because of their differences.
Reaction:
Full inclusion is a good way to promote socialization with peers for students with disabilities. It gets them involved in the normal classroom setting, rather than deeming them as outcasts. Placing them in this setting can most definitely boost confidence and self-esteem, thereby improving their work and school success. In addition, their peers can help them to learn concepts in a classroom, sometimes even better than teachers can. They can be involved in group projects that are beneficial to this type of learning as well. Placing learning disabled children in a separate classroom with others may slow down their learning, while being in a general education class can increase motivation and learning acquisition. Being in a normal classroom provides challenges for those with special needs. This may serve as a source of stress and frustration, however the special education teacher being in the classroom will serve to alleviate much of this an help them to grasp concepts that they struggle with initially.
Often times, in "pull-out" programs, the special education teachers are unaware of what is being taught in the general education classrooms that the disabled are in for the rest of the day. This creates confusion and wastes time when they reteach unnecessary concepts or jump ahead to something that has not yet been covered. Having the special education teacher being a part of the general instruction will make their efforts more effective. In addition, as there are special needs students and students who excel, there are students who are in the middle of both of these areas. Having an extra teacher in the classroom can therefore benefit all of the students, and not just those with disabilities. Spreading the aid to those students that don't require special education will also help to reassure those who do, so that they realize they are not the only ones struggling in certain areas and are not being singled out as being less capable.
Haas, Diane. "Mainstreaming Benefits All Students." Current Controversies: The Disabled. Ed. Brenda Stalcup. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Providence Public Library. 21 Nov. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T010 &prodId=OVRC &docId=EJ3010042215 &source=gale &srcprod=OVRC &userGroupName=ripl1 &version=1.0>.
"The Importance of Teacher Preparation"
Summary:
The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) was founded in 1975 and strives for the education and well-being of those with learning disabilites. They believe that general education teachers should be able to both identify and teach those with disabilities because many are placed in regular classrooms. Special education teachers should receive training in how to differentiate between different learning disabilities and how to test and instruct them.
All teachers should have general knowledge in reading, writing, math, communication, social studies, the sciences, health and physical education, fine arts, and vocational subject areas. Students with learning disabilities struggle with reading, spelling, writing, or mathematical calculations or reasoning. General and special education teachers, as well as other professionals in the field should be aware of the influence of oral and written language on literacy and have extensive knowledge in those areas. Reading, spelling, word analysis, and the writing process are areas that all teachers should be confident in teaching. Teaching math should progress from concrete, to representational, to abstract thinking and reasoning. All teachers should be able to implement individualized instruction and know when to make adjustments.
General and special education teachers must be able to work together to help promote student success, especially with the inclusion of the learning disabled in general education classrooms. The different types of teachers have different roles and bring different skills into play. General educattion teachers have a broad range of knowledge in content areas while special educators provide approaches to a variety of teaching techniques and knowledge specific to the learning disabled. Working together successfully requires equal partnership, willingness to work together, good communication skills, cooperation, adequate planning time, and support from administrators.
All those who become educators (both general and special educators) should have core competencies regarding those with special needs in areas dealing with definitions and characeteristics of learning disabilities, rights and procedures of students and parents, student evaluation, instruction and Individualized Education Programs, social and emotional development, classroom management, and relationships with colleagues and families. The two different types of teachers work differently within these aspects. Special education teachers are more specially geared to implement strategies to help disabled students and should have a more in-depth understanding of their skills and abilities and how to assist them. They identify different learning disabilities and take many factors into consideration when assessing them.
Reaction:
It is incredibly important for special educators and general educators to work together when dealing with students with special needs. It is also crucial for general education teachers to be knowledgeable in areas concerning them because they will most definitely have to confront issues dealing with learning disabled children when working in the classroom. Special educators serve to provide more specialized assistance to general education teachers but they should be able to work with special needs students when special education teachers are not around. I also agree that it is particularly important for teachers to be able to communicate well with families. Individualized Education Programs are also particularly important subject areas for teachers because it is the basis on which special education works. It provides specific goals to be achieved in a certain amount of time, pushing students towards success. The National Joint Committee on Learning Disorders holds teachers to high standards, which is important in order to promote student achievement and quality education for all students.
National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. "The Importance of Teacher Preparation." Contemporary Issues Companion: Learning Disabilities. Ed. Henny H. Kim. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Providence Public Library. 21 Nov. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do? &contentSet=GSRC &type=retrieve &tabID=T010 &prodId=OVRC &docId=EJ3010267211 &source=gale &srcprod=OVRC &userGroupName=ripl1 &version=1.0>.
"Sisyphean Tasks: The Reams of Paperwork that Currently Serve as Special Education's Accountability System Distract from the Practice of Teaching and Learning. It is Time to Focus on Results"
Summary:
The law requires that schools document their attempts to provide special needs students with education, which is very costly, but does not guarantee that they are actually improving their skills. Schools need to shift from being rights-based and process-based to results-based. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that an Individualized Education Program (IEP) of each student explains the details of how schools will meet goals that provide learning disabled students with their rights to a "free and appropriate education" (FAPE) in the "least restrictive environment." Specialists, teachers, and student's parents all work together to create IEP's. The mass amounts of paperwork and records that are kept are the result of ensuring that the school is following procedure in the event that a parent moves for a court hearing to contest how the school proposes to work with their child (a right granted to parents and guardians by IDEA).
IDEA '97 required that learning disabled students be included in standardized testing and accountability programs, but there are many factors that effect the assessment of true achievement. Special needs students can "opt out" of testing and also may be given special accommodations by officials, making the tests unreliable evidence of achievement. A concrete demonstration of how schools are benefiting their special education students should replace such mandates as disabled students spending 80% of the day in regular classrooms and having hearing checked often. These would still be implemented, however only as necessary for particular students. A results-based accountability system would include: 1) an IEP that sets goals for skills to be gained and in how long, and the tests and accommodations that would be made, 2) tests and accommodations would be implemented in the same way over the years, 3) progress would be judged using baseline tests that would be taken just after the diagnosis of a disability, 4) teachers, counselors, and administrators would include comments in the report, 5) decline of progress would lead to state or federal intervention in the program, 6) if progress does not improve, parents would have the right to remove their children from the program and put them in an alternative, more beneficial one.
Reaction:
The mass amounts of paperwork that must be done regarding disabled students certainly takes time that could be put to better use in educating those with learning disabilities. Paperwork is necessary however, since special education is a sensitive subject. Because some institutions fail to provide special needs students with adequate educations, they must be weeded out from those who truly strive for such accomplishments. Paperwork helps to keep all institutions on track and make sure they are complying with the laws. On the other hand, education of all people should be results-based. Paperwork should be made more simple in order to allow for more time to be spent better educating students with disabilities.
Wolf, Patrick J. "Sisyphean tasks: the reams of paperwork that currently serve as special education's accountability' system distract from the practice of teaching and learning. It is time to focus on results. (Forum).(focus on special education in the Baltimore, Maryland public school system)." Education Next.3. 1 (Wntr 2003): 24(8). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Providence Public Library. 21 Nov. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do? &contentSet=IAC-Documents &type=retrieve &tabID=T002 &prodId=OVRC &docId=A94893898 &source=gale &srcprod=OVRC &userGroupName=ripl1 &version=1.0>.
EDC 102 F02 Fnl Proj Eval - Chelsea S